Spark-iettebtsmer



M. L. DUNBAR.

SPARK INTENSIFIER.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. I6, |918.

1,326,036., Dfmented Dec. 23,1919.

` IIIIXIIIIIIII MAr'iLoN L. DUNBAR, oF AKRON, oHIo.

'SPARK-INTENSIFIER.

Applcatop tiled March 16,

To fill inkom. t may concern Beit known thatl; MAiiLofN L. Dexia-xii, acitizen of the United States, residing at Akron, in the county of Summitand State ofY Ohio, have invented new and useful linproveinents inSpark-liit'eiisitiers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates toV spark intensi"- ters, the object in viewbeing to produce a` simple, cheap and effective device capable of beingattached to -any spark plug for the purpose of materially intensifyingand enlarging the spark delivered in the gap. of the plug, the devicebeing also valuable for the purpose of rejuvenating a spark plug whichhas become foul and inetl'ectiveand requires cleaning, the device ofthis invention being applicable quickly and readily to such a plugA andthereby avoiding the necessity of cleaning such plug on the. road.

'A further object of the-'invent-ion'is to produce a device of thecharacter referred to in which the parts are so constructed and combinedthat they are interchangeable and admit of easy and .quick assembly.

Another object of the invention is to so construct and combine theseveral parts of 'the device that the'spark gaps maybe acj curatelyadjusted' so that the two gaps will be exactly equal,` this beingimportant in order to intensify the spark.

' W'ith the above and other objects in view, theinvention consists inthe construction, combination and arrangement of parts,as hereindescribed, illustrated and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings:

' Figure 1 is a side elevation of the device. Fig. 2 is a diametricalsection through the same.

Fig. 3 is a cross section on the line fi-S of Fig.'2. l' l Fig. 4 is adetail perspective view of the intermediate electrode holder andoheadspacing member. showing thel intermediate electrode. j

Fig. 5 is a dianietrical section through the same. A

The spark intensifier, in the preferreden'ibodimfent thereof, comprisesa pair of heads 1 of any suitable noneonducting material, the same beingarranged at opposite sides of a cylindrical housing 2 which is clamped lbetween the heads 1 and together with said heads forms a spark-chamber.The cylindrical housing 2 ispreferably constructed of transparentmaterial, such as glass, in order Specification of Letters Patent..

Patented Dea-23, 199. 191s. seriai No. 222,954..`

that a person may observe the sparks" as they cross the gaps in saidchamber.

The heads l are rabbcted in their iiiner faces as shown at 3, to receivelthe endsvot tween the edges of the housing .2 and the' heads l. Thegauze screens 3 and -1 provide for a circulation of air through thespark chamber, the headsI 1 being formed with air ports a vrhich admitair to and from said chan'iber,`-'tl`ie gauze scrccns, however, pre-4venting tha-admission of explosive vapor or fume to the chamber andconsequently, preventing ignition thereof y forii'ied in said chamber.The heads 1 are held in clamping engagement with the housing 2 by meansof tie bolts 6 which are insertcd through thc headsl and arrangedoutside ofthe housing 2, as shown in thc drawings. l

T he heads 1 are bored and threaded to receive a pair of electrodes 7and 8, said electrodes being threaded through said bores for the purposeof adjustment and be ing securely held when by lock nuts 9 and 10. 11designates a clamping iiutto enable one of the current wires to beattached to the electrode 8.

. interposed between such inner rounded ends of said electrodes is anintcriiiediate electrode 13 preferably of spherical formation. Theelectrode 13 is contained in a holder 14 having a substantially' annularbody portion and oppositely extending projections or studs l5 impartingto said holder a castellatediormation, the extremities of the pro'-jection's l5 bearing against the shown in Fig. 2. ,The projections 15are of suclrlength that the maximum length of the holder 1st is'slightlygreater than the cori'e- ,spending length of the casing 2, so that .the:holder 14 will sustain the pressure of the -lieads 1 and prevent thefracture of the casing 2 when the parts are securely clamped together.`The holder 14, is composed of an suitable non-conducting material, andis molded or otherwise formed around the intermediate electrode 13. Ifdesired, the electrode lniay have projections 16 thereon re ceived incorresponding sockets in-theliolder v14 as shown in Fig. 5, althoughthis .is not essential but the expedient may be resorted by thesparksproperly adjusted heads l insure the formation of anintensif'iedspark,4

.the electrodes Tand Bare adjusted so as to leave gaps of., equal jwidth between each electrode .7,- or 8 andthe intermediate electrodel.'"Qneof the electrodes 7 4is prefer- 'ably .formedyfwith an eye, 17 toenable thesameA torpeiplaced over'the binding post or projectingend*" ofthe .power electrode or spark plug. @In .applying 'the device to a' ls"ark plug, ytheusual nut is removed from t e lugfand the eye 17 isplaced over the ,Q b'in ing post or power electrode of the plug landthenut4 then1'eapplied, thus clampingY Ithedevice'tothe plug. The currentwire is e .rthen .clampedbetween the nuts 10 and l2. y

"Allfparts lthe-fdevice are made intereasily replaced at lsmall cost.

' ventilation is provided for in the sparking chamber, preventing' anychangeable,`sftnat a broken' vart may be he necessary possibility of anlosi'noccurring therein. `nlaim:*

combinationwi'th a sparking vchamber 1ncludingjspaced heads, a pair oflongitudi- )ly .alined f electrodes having adjustable yengagement withsaid heads and movable f: toward and away from each other, 'an inter-@mediate electrode interposed between the inner adjacent ends of thefirst mentioned y' 'electrodes and an insulated holder for saidintermediate.electrode provided with means f for' engaging said heads.

2. In a device of the class specified, the

@combination of a sparking chamber including heads, a air oflongitudinally alined. electrodes having a threaded and adjust-ableengagement with said chamber toward and away from each other, anintermediate elec trode interposed between the inner adjacent ends ofthe first mentioned electrodes, an

.insulated holder for said intermediate eleci ltrode, said electrodeholder also forming a spacing member for the heads of' said cham- ,.ber,said heads being separable, and means for clamping said heads in place.`

p i with. ventilation ports, and gauze screens ,Inv a` deviceJ of theclassspecified, thev ""i :l l A i y trode positioned between the innerends' of said electrodes, and a combined, holder and spacing member ofnon-conducting material supporting said intermediate electrode andclamped between said heads.' .9.

4.- In-g a device of-,tyheclass speoifiedg-a sparking chamberfomprisinga pair roit heads of non-condupting lmaterial, a cylindrical peripheralwall clamped between said heads, oppositely arrangedelectrodes having athreaded and adjustableengagement with said heads, an'interm'ediateelectrode positioned between the.` inner en s of said electrodes acombinedhnolder and spacing membero non-conducting material supportingsaidjntermediate electrode and clamped 4 betweensaid heads, said headsbeing formed clam ed between vthe peripheral wall'of the "5; In a deviceof the class specified, the. combination of a spark chamber, a-sectional housing inclosing the same and comprising oppositely arrangedheads,-- oppositely arranged electrodes threaded, through said heads,.an intermediate electrode, and a holder for supporting the intermediateelectrode between the first 'named electrodes with the gaps between theelectrodes equal.

6. A device for intensifying the sparks across the sparkingpoint'sof'sparkvplu'gs, comprising `separated heads, an electrodecarried byeach head, anintermediate electrode,` and' means forsupporting theintermediate electrode'. between the first mentionedelectrodes with the, air gaps equaled, said-means holding the heads inspaced rela,- tion. v

In testimony whereof` I afiix my signattire.

